It's Too Late
by Erzsebeth Bathory
Summary: Lucy is confronted by her past, a past she has to overcome at all cost. Story takes place a year after the original movie.


**Author's note:** Lucy's husband, Lance, is not only named but referenced throughout the official Lost Boys novel based on the movie. Oddly enough, this idea came to me during work so I decided to write it out. Plus it's my first attempt at writing Lucy. I don't know if anybody else has bothered to write about Lucy's husband in any fanfic; regardless, this is my take on his character and what might have happened to him. This story is set a year after the movie.

 **Disclaimer:** _The Lost Boys_ is copyright (c) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and all others associated with legal rights.

* * *

"It's Too Late"

* * *

Lucy Emerson had her car key ready in hand as she approached the old Land Rover. It was one of the few vehicles in the public parking lot during this time of the night. Fortunately the area was well lit, and she saw nothing out of the ordinary.

After the whirlwind of trouble she and her family went through over a year ago, trouble that involved vampires of all things, Lucy made sure to have some sort of protection on her at all times. In her purse was a small bottle of holy water and a bulb of garlic. Around her wrist she wore a bracelet with a crucifix. She was never a religious person, but she was more than ready to side with a higher power if need be.

Just as she was about to insert her key into the car door, an all too familiar baritone voice spoke from behind.

"You look just as lovely as ever, Lucy."

Out of shock, she lost the sensation of her fingers, causing the key to drop to the concrete.

 _Oh no..._

"Lucy, look at me."

 _Oh dear God no._

"I'm sorry about what happened in the past. I promise you, we can start over."

Lucy's shoulders tensed but she kept her back straight. She absolutely refused to show any more weakness to _**him,**_ not after the hell he put her through back in Phoenix.

He had cheated on her with numerous women who worked for him, all of them in their early 20s. Even when she confronted him with her proof of his infidelity, he turned the blame onto her. If only SHE had been more attentive to his needs, if only SHE had been a better wife and a better cook, he wouldn't have had to look elsewhere for affection. He blamed her for his faults, faults that stretched back to his own miserable and unloved childhood. With his wealthy position in Phoenix, he made sure to protect his laurels. It didn't take long for people in town to think it was Lucy who was having problems, not him. He lied, he manipulated, he twisted words – he wasn't the problem, it was Lucy. After all, she was the wild hippie child who grew up during the "free love" era and dabbled with drugs in her youth; who wanted to believe the words of a former druggie? And he never physically laid a hand on her! How could he possibly be the one hurting her if there wasn't a single scratch on her? For a while, Lucy even started questioning herself, wondering if she was going insane with everything happening.

Finally, Lucy had enough. She pushed back, ignored those who doubted her, and she decided she would no longer allow herself to go through this torment. The divorce was a long, tiring process, and Lance fought tooth and nail to keep what was his, all the while still presenting himself a saint. It was a nightmare, but one that she survived.

"What are you doing here, Lance?" she asked, making sure her words did not shake. There was a tight knot forming in her stomach but she refused to even place a hand over her belly. It was just nerves.

"I was such a selfish jerk to you and to the boys. I only cared about my reputation, my money... It wasn't worth losing my family."

Lucy snorted as she made a fist with one hand. "Right, says the man who flat out admitted to everyone in the courtroom that he didn't want Michael or Sam in the divorce."

"I know, I know. I was an idiot. I was blinded by all of my 'yes men' at my side. They fed me everything I wanted to hear. I wasn't listening to what I NEEDED to hear. I've started over. I shed that part of myself. I no longer have any ties to that town. I'm free, but I miss you. I need you, Lucy."

"Stop it! Just... no!" Lucy snapped as she whirled around to face her ex-husband. Right there and then, her jaw dropped. While it was in fact, the man she once married right out of college, there was something off about Lance. While he still preferred the uptight suit complete with the French cuff and contrast collar, there was no sign of his true age anywhere on his face. No stress lines, no crow's feet around the eyes, no salt and pepper color in the hair – instead, he was smooth skinned with not even a sign of stubble on his jaw, and his hair was jet black and slicked fashionably.

Lance grinned handsomely at his ex-wife's reaction and took a step back to stretch his arms out.

"Like what you see?" he asked.

Lucy's face fell as disgust took over. "Plastic surgery, huh? Guess all that extra income you had from not having to give more child support paid off for you."

"To be fair, you could have pushed for more than the minimum amount. Just listen to me. I've started over with my life, and I want you to be a part of it!"

"Lance, enough! Go away! I left Phoenix behind because of you! I don't want anything to do with you!"

"Lucy, please!" Lance implored as his expression changed, reflecting sincerity. He lowered his arms and tried to step closer. Instead, Lucy swiftly bent down, picked up her key, and turned her back to him. She wanted to get in her car and drive like a bat out of hell, as far away from him as possible. "LUCY!"

Her heart quickened at the sound of her name being said by him. It sounded monstrous, thunderous in her ears. The world around her moved in slow motion as his hand shot out to grab her wrist, the hand holding the car key. Before he could even wrap his fingers around her, Lance let out a pained roar and released her. Lucy gasped, her world moving at normal speed once more, and watched as Lance staggered back under the street light, clutching his wounded hand to his chest. She glanced down at her wrist and saw it was the one wearing the crucifix.

"Lance...?" she called out hesitantly, as it dawned on her: that wasn't plastic surgery that made him young. Now that she could see him more clearly under the light, she noticed a rise of smoke from his hand, the wound he sustained from touching her.

That "starting over" bit nagged at her but it took mere seconds to reach a conclusion.

"Vampire," she said under her breath, and she swiftly unlocked her car. Throwing the door open, she didn't have much time to act. Even going for the holy water and garlic in her purse would take too much time.

"Lucy..." Lance growled as he lowered his hand from his chest and proceeded to stalk over to her. "We'll be together again. I'll give you want you've always wanted along with immortality! I'm a changed man!"

Just as Lance was prepared to yank her out of the car, Lucy emerged and was armed with a wooden stake that she kept hidden under the driver's seat.

Lance's face was no longer human, but more brutish, with glowing amber eyes and a mouth full of fangs. Lucy was not afraid and she showed no fear as she drove the stake through Lance's chest using all of her might, where she then yelled, "Consider this divorce permanent!"

The vampire writhed and shrieked in agony as he jerked away and stumbled back once more to the street light with the stake embedded in him. Dark slime oozed out of the wound and a white glow surrounded his body. He tried to say something, probably her name, but before he could do so, the glow faded and his skin turned gray. He fell apart like dust, slime and all, and then an invisible wind blew him into nothingness. All that was left was the wooden stake with bits of ash on the tip, a reminder of what happened.

Lucy couldn't move at first but she was breathing heavily and she was sweating. Her mind played back over what just happened. She couldn't believe it! Her ex-husband tracked her down, after all the misery he put her through, and wanted to make things "better" as a vampire. How in the world did he become one? Did it happen while he was still in Arizona? Or did he meet up with a vampire in California? Or someplace completely different? What about his notoriety in Phoenix? What did people think of him being gone?

Did any of it really matter any more? Lucy didn't want that kind of life, or ANY life, with him OR Max!

Even as a vampire, Lance proved to be just as delusional as ever. If she had been stupid enough to give him another chance, the cycle of humiliation and abuse would have started all over again. Add the immortality bit and Lucy would have been trapped in eternal damnation. She wouldn't wish that on her worst enemy.

"No thank you," she whispered as she found herself able to move once more. She retrieved the stake from the ground before returning to her car. It was getting late, she needed to be home.

Once settled in her seat, she closed the door and turned on the engine. She allowed the car to warm up before she would attempt to drive out of the parking lot.

"Whew," she sighed as she leaned back in her seat, a tiny but proud smile forming on her face.


End file.
